


Sea Change

by Argyle



Category: The Charioteer - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-11-01
Updated: 2004-11-01
Packaged: 2019-02-11 19:35:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12942204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Argyle/pseuds/Argyle
Summary: [Ralph] was looking incandescent and elevated, like a candle burning at both ends.





	Sea Change

Ralph found peace at midnight.

Resting upon the hearthside mattress, Laurie had remained in his arms, silent as Ralph was eager to smooth over doubt and discomfort. The morning rushed by him; darkness became dawn and the sun was high above their heads as they organized and packed away the remnants of Laurie’s room. They donned their uniforms once more, crisp and insistent, and Laurie’s hands swept readily through Ralph’s hair, over his cheek and gently down his back as though in turn hoping to ease the rough foundations of jealousy.

Ralph instinctively knew that no moment was to be spared.

He said as much through laughter and movement, though they were soon pressed to leave, locking the door to Laurie’s cottage and hauling the trunk to Ralph’s car, tying it down and finally shifting forward. Their conversation was as easy and unhindered as the sun that fell across their faces, tracing shadows across Laurie’s brow by the brim of his cap as Ralph met his eyes beyond the flash of the road.

As they parked by the hospital, Ralph stretched against his seat, arching his back with a chuckle. He turned to face Laurie. “You look rather stifled, there,” he said. “Not coming down with something, I hope?”

“Just a bit tired, really.” Shaking his head, Laurie stifled a yawn with the back of his hand.

Ralph leaned forward, discreetly touching his lips to Laurie’s as they stepped onto the kerb. They waited for a huddle of patients to pass by, their eyes meeting and rapidly breaking apart, shifting to the horizon or dropping to the pavement before falling together once more. After a moment, Ralph held Laurie’s bag aloft, waiting for him to shift his weight. He whispered matter-of-factly, “I’m glad that you rang me up.”

“Yes, I am too,” Laurie said, smiling as took the leather handle and held it against his chest. He took a visibly deep breath before continuing, “I suppose this is it, then.”

“No,” Ralph said, shaking his head, his voice low and kind, “that’s not so. Just think, Spud, you’ll be free of this place before you even notice.”

“Oh,” Laurie sighed, dropping his gaze, “you’re right, of course, though I really do hate to be such a bloody nuisance.”

“Nonsense, Spud. It’s nothing.”

“Nothing?” Laurie repeated incredulously, stepping closer.

Ralph shook his head.

Laurie’s hand rose and tightened against Ralph’s arm before dropping to his side as they approached the entrance. “Ralph?”

“Yes?”

Laurie seemed to hesitate, a frown creasing his brow as he considered his words. He said at last, “I’ll see you soon.”

“Of course. I’ll ring you up this evening to see how you’re getting on,” Ralph said, nodding. He smiled softly. “I’ve a shift or two to make up, though I’ll find a way to do so.”

“Thank you.”

“And Spud?”

“Mm?”

“Don’t worry.” Ralph watched as a grin curled across Laurie’s lips, briefly appearing and vanishing just as quickly as though burdened by a wave of self-consciousness. Their eyes met again and Ralph hoped to hold a thread of reassurance upon the air between them, measuring the distance with a determined, steady gaze, and the open hope of a life ring that is tossed beyond the rail and onto the water. He remained perfectly still, cautious and quiet.

“Ralph, I...” Laurie paused, glancing over his shoulder. “Thank you.”

“God bless,” Ralph said, swiftly pressing Laurie’s arm. He reached into his pocket for his cigarettes, setting one to his lips and lighting it, and felt a strain of grief settle unexpectedly to the pit of his stomach as he watched Laurie step away across the pavement. His russet hair brilliant against his cheek, Laurie moved with purpose and patience, gently rocking forward upon his walking stick as a buoy that waits atop the uncharted mystery of the depths. Blue tendrils of smoke rose before Ralph’s eyes and he raised his good hand; his wariness was at once overcome by a wash of elation as Laurie smiled with great affection, pausing, and then was gone.

He belongs with me, Ralph repeated to himself, and there is nothing else.

Indeed, he knew that there was no need for other prospects. The eddying events of the past weeks and months had brought him to rest upon a foreign shore, equally wondrous and alarming, long deemed lost upon the back of the wind but for the pages of his diary. Ralph recognized the footsteps and fault lines that hung before him; pushing away his inhibitions, he was contented with his own will to travel on.

He breathed deeply, tracing recent hours through his mind, and found that he was hesitant to break the spell by acknowledging the faint movement beside him.

There was a subtle cough. “Hello, Ralph.”

“Alec,” Ralph drawled, narrowing his eyes.

“Everything’s well with you, I trust? It’s a bit of a rare thing to see you here now, I must say.” Alec smiled faintly, his crisp gaze darting to the side. “I happened to run into Bunny the other evening and...” he trailed off, faintly motioning through the air. Ralph set his jaw, arching a brow. After a pause, Alec cleared his throat, pushing his hands into the wide, white pockets of his jacket. “I’m sorry, my dear. It’s only that--”

“It’s of very little consequence to you,” Ralph finished, folding his arms across his chest. “I was merely letting a friend off.”

“Of course. Just know that I hadn’t heard back from you last week, and well... I rather wondered whether you had found someplace to stay.”

“Yes,” Ralph said, dashing the ashes from his cigarette with a flick of his wrist. Smoothly, he moved his gloved hand out of view. “You needn’t worry about that.”

“I see.” Alec frowned, his eyes lingering below Ralph’s own. He suddenly reached forward, though he halted mid-air; his brow was knit as he allowed his hand to fall back once more.

Ralph glanced down to a speck of ash that had settled against his lapel, smiling lightly as he brushed it away. “I’ve lately been in the country,” he said at length, drawing upon his cigarette.

“Whatever for?”

“A breath of fresh air, I suppose,” Ralph replied, still smiling, though now he recognized within himself an irrevocable feeling of airy recklessness.

Alec nodded slowly, moving the tip of his tongue across his lips as though with an offhanded articulation of thought. “Ah.”

Adjusting his cap, Ralph watched as Alec fumbled with his own cigarette case and matches, dim flames flickering out with the breeze and masked by thin, grey lines of smoke.

He’s still half in love with the silence, Ralph thought, still compelled by the power to design his own fortunes.

Without frustration, Ralph pulled his own matches from his pocket, holding one forward with a practiced ease, an even concealment of his faltering motions.

Alec’s lips were drawn in a hesitant bow, expectant and curious. “Thank you,” he said, his voice hung with a fabricated detachment as he moved the back of his hand over his brow. He seemed chilled, his light face faintly flushed. “Shall I expect to see you here again?”

Ralph nodded almost imperceptibly. “Perhaps,” he said simply.

“Well, I’d best be going. It was delightful talking with you, Ralph. Do take care of yourself.”

“Yes, certainly. The same to you.” Ralph paused, moving forward, and laughing quietly as he added, “Give my regards to Sandy.” He smiled once more.

Alec seemed to start at this, apparently searching the words for a sign of jest, though he made no audible response as he walked away.

Ralph turned on his heel, stepping in the opposite direction. Tossing his cigarette onto the pavement, he returned to his car and hummed neatly under his breath. The grey stretch of evening clouds moved overhead, parting and churning with the restlessness of the open sea. He sensed that it would begin to rain soon, though he did not look up.


End file.
